Current Council

The Southland District Council is made up of a Mayor and 12 Councillors and has 9 Community Boards.

The Mayor is voted in “at large” and the Councillors are voted in by Ward.
Each of the Wards have Community Boards.

Each Community Board has a Ward Councillor appointed to it by Council.

Mayor and Councillors (by Ward) 

Southland District Mayor 

Gary Tong

027 465 5182
gary.tong@southlanddc.govt.nz

Mayoral Support - Dianne Williams

0800 732 732 ext 3258
dianne.williams@southlanddc.govt.nz

Mararoa Waimea Ward (three Councillors)

John Douglas

03 248 6110, 027 493 0633
john.douglas@southlanddc.govt.nz 

Ebel Kremer

03 249 8255, 027 510 7785
ebel.kremer@southlanddc.govt.nz 

Rob Scott

021 609 567
Robin.Scott@southlanddc.govt.nz

Waiau Aparima Ward (three Councillors)

Don Byars

027 488 8858 
Don.Byars@southlanddc.govt.nz 

George Harpur

03 226 6040, 027 652 6728 
George.harpur@southlanddc.govt.nz 

Karyn Owen

021 0848 8452  
Karyn.Owen@southlanddc.govt.nz 

Oreti Ward (three Councillors)

Darren Frazer

021 415 840 –
Darren.frazer@southlanddc.govt.nz 

Christine Menzies

027 950 2760 -
Christine.Menzies@southlanddc.govt.nz 

Margie Ruddenklau

03 249 7789 -
Margaret.Ruddenklau@southlanddc.govt.nz 

Waihopai Toetoe Ward (two Councillors)

Paul Duffy

03 206 6491, 027 288 5856  
paul.duffy@southlanddc.govt.nz 

Julie Keast

03 2468 410, 027 220 6404  
julie.keast@southlanddc.govt.nz 

Stewart Island/Rakiura Ward (one Councillor)

Bruce Ford

03 219 1282, 027 231 7815,
bruce.ford@southlanddc.govt.nz

Community Boards

Mararoa Waimea Ward

Ardlussa Community Board

• Richard Clarkson (Chair) 027 5442220 joclarkson@netspeed.net.nz
• Ray Dickson (Deputy Chair) 027 2369611 ray.mairi@xtra.co.nz
• Chris Dillon
• Clarke Horrell
• Hilary Kelso
• One more needed from By-Election
• Ward Councillor – Councillor Rob Scott

Fiordland Community Board

• Sarah Greaney (Chair) 027 2226634 sarahkay@xtra.co.nz
• Diane Holmes (Deputy Chair) 03 249 7750 diane.holmes70@gmail.com
• Ben Killeen
• Ryan Murray
• Max Slee
• Mary Chartres
• Ward Councillor – Councillor Ebel Kremer

Northern Community Board

• Greg Tither (Chair) 027 2032672 lumsden@foursquare-si.co.nz
• Lance Hellewell (Deputy Chair) 03 248 7051 or 03 248 6166 mossburnmotors@gmail.com
• Carolyn Smith
• Peter Bruce
• Pam Naylor
• Sonya Taylor
• Ward Councillor – Councillor John Douglas

Oreti Ward

Oreti Community Board

• Brian Sommerville (Chair) 027 7045287 brsomerville@hotmail.com
• Natasha Mangels (Deputy Chair) 021 2592043 or 03 236 0644 nemangels@gmail.com
• Colin Smith
• Geoff Jukes
• Peter Schmidt
• Two required from Makarewa subdivision By-election
• Ward Councillor – Councillor Darren Frazer

Stewart Island/Rakiura Ward

Stewart Island/Rakiura Community Board

• Jon Spraggon (Chair) 03 219 1449 jspraggon@realjourneys.co.nz
• Steve Lawrence (Deputy Chair) 03 219 1173 island.maintenance@xtra.co.nz
• Aaron Conner
• Anita Geeson
• Gordon Leask
• Rakiura Herzhoff
• Ward Councillor – Councillor Bruce Ford

Waiau Aparima Ward

Tuatapere Te Waewae Community Board

• Margaret Thomas (Chair) 03 2266104 arpad@xtra.co.nz
• Ann Horrell (Deputy Chair) 021 2169808 altonlea.horrells@xtra.co.nz
• Blayne De Vries
• Maurice Green
• Alistair McCracken
• Keri Potter
• Ward Councillor – Councillor George Harpur

Wallace Takitimu Community Board

• André Bekhuis (Chair) 027 2206933 andre.b@xtra.co.nz
• Maureen Johnston (Deputy Chair) 03 2258456 maureenjhnstn@gmail.com
• David Cowie
• Kelly Day
• Bev Evans
• Peter Gutsell
• Ward Councillor – Councillor Don Byars

Oraka Aparima Community Board

• Graeme Stuart (Chair) 027 2220962 graemestuart44@gmail.com
• Sharon Ayto (Deputy Chair) 027 4440121 sharonayto@gmail.com
• Neil Linscott
• Three more needed from By-Election
• Ward Councillor – Councillor Karyn Owen

Waihopai Toetoe Ward

Waihopai Toetoe Community Board

• Pam Yorke (Interim Chair until February 2020) 027 2255654 yorke@callsouth.net.nz
• Denise Fodie
• Pani Grey-Thomas
• Gay Munro
• Melanie Shepherd
• Two more needed from By-Election
•  Ward Councillor – Councillor Paul Duffy (until 31 January 2021 and then Councillor Keast from 1 February 2021 to the end of the 2019/2022 triennium)

* Note – Chair and Deputy Chair will be decided on at the 25 February 2020 meeting.